Only 40 miles separates Manchester from Liverpool with 200 miles between them and London, but these 3 Cities are the dominant forces of British football, and it would be a good pub quiz question to ask when was the last winner of the English premier division came from outside these Cities, and perhaps someone with enormous foresight to determine the next winner from outside London or Manchester.

Liverpool is no longer a place from which a league winner will come for the foreseeable future. Everton have not seriously challenged since the 1980’s and Liverpool have famously never won the Premier League, and sit in the relegation zone.

The tale of three Cities has become the classic tale of two cities now.

This mirrors the trend in Italy where Rome and Milan vie for superiority, and in Spain where it’s Madrid against Barcelona. The big leagues are now about two competing Cities and England has followed the trend.

The big 4 of Chelsea, Arsenal, City and United are now so far ahead of the likes of Spurs and Newcastle, with a third group of Stoke and the Liverpool Clubs in that tier.

London and Manchester are now head to head, and with Chelsea as European Champions and City as league champions, it’s probably as tough a league to win as at any time in the last 10 years.

Examining the economic circumstances surrounding the top 4 also makes interesting reading, because fugal Arsenal built the best Stadium of the sides. Yet they have the least funding for their team. Chelsea want to build a new Stadium and rely on the personal wealth of one man, City likewise hope to expand their modern venue with oil money while United remain the biggest Club by value and stadium size but with our owners debt casting a huge shadow over team investment.

The point is that the geographic polarization of football power is completed, and it probably is near impossible to imagine that scenario changing in the next 10 years.

The new normal has arrived.

By Steve Burrows CBE @ifollowsteve